The personal statement is a very important part of the application. It gives the candidate a chance to write freely about themselves and their interest in the subject, as opposed to the rest of the application which consists mainly of 'objective' information. The statement can form the basis of an interview discussion. A personal statement can be up to 4,000 characters (including spaces). It can be compared with the admissions essay in the United States. How to write a personal statement and sample personal statement.

Questions to ask yourself before you write:

• What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
   
• What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?
   
• When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?
   
• How have you learned about this field--through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?
   
• If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?
   
• What are your career goals?
   
• Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?